Flying-machine.



R. M. SMITH.

FLYING MACHINE. APPLIUATION FILED JUNEM w11, RENLwBn 00T.15,1o14.

S Q 5i www0/aow w ll w y 'Q Q Ii a lfm l: C 'm Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

l sans PATENT wenn.

RE'XFORD IVI. SMITH. OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. ASSIGNOR. BY MES'i'lil ASSIGNMENTS. TO CONNECTICUT AIRCRAFT COMPANY. OF 'NEW HAVEN, CONNECI CUT` A CORPORATION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

FLYING-M ACHIN'E.

Patented Nov. 2d, Mill il.

Original application filed September 30. 1909. Serial No. 520.241). Divided and this application filed June 26, 1911, sei-m1 Nc. @35W/sz.

Tondi/'710m it muy concern lle it known that l. liitvrono il. SMITH. a citizen of the llnited `tfltates. rcaidingir at 'ashington. in the District ol Columbia. have invented new and useful Improvements in l `l`vinfl-Machines, oll which the l'ollowingl is a Specification.

.This invention relates to flying machines ot' the heavier than air type. the present application beinzLr a division ol my prior application liled September 230. 190i). Serial NO. 5520.240.

The object of the invention is to provide reliable means tor maintaining a pcrl'cct equilibrium in the air without mental ell'ort and without either voluntary or involun tary physical el'i'ort on the part o'lthe aviator. l

\\'ith the above and other objects in view, the nature of which will more fully appear as the ('lescription prot-cede. the invention consists in the novel construction. comhination and arrangement ot parts as herein full)1 described, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying; drawings :#Figure l iS a side elevation of a flying machine embodying.r the present invention. Fig. l is a vertical crosssection through the same on the line Q-2 ot Fig. l lookinglr `forward. Fig. 3 is a detail rear elevation ot' the aviatorseeat showing a Slight modification.

The Jiframe. of themachine which extends` fore and aft, comprises the fom' main longitudinal bars 1, Q. 3 and 4. each oi which, as shown in F l, comprises a pair of members or strips 5 and (3 which are preferably connected together at their opposite ends. at the bow and stern oi the machine. the said members or strips being` spaced apart by means of transverse struts 7 arranged at suitable intervals, while between the struts. the members and (S are connected and held together and braced by diagonal tru wires 8. This makes a strong;- and excectlingly light 'frame -bar admirably adapted Vior the support oi the front and rear planes and A controlling; devices.

9 designates stanchions or cross bare connecting the main longitudinal 'frame bars l and Q at Suitable intervals, while l0 desig nates diagonal truss wiresfor bracing the frame.

Renewed October 15. 1914. Serial No. 866.882.

'lhe mai'i litinhr and supporting wings l1 project laterally outward from the central portion ot' the main lrame, beine,r arranged one above the other as show-n in Figs. 1 and 2. thusl making' the machine. in. `the illustrated embodiment, oir. the biplane type. A\rrang2;ed at the -ear ol' the main frame. are the rear or tail-planes 1;. preferv ably two in number. a rranged one above the other. and mounted in fixed relation to the trame. lt will be ola-.erred that theee planes l are preferably curved .fo af; le coistiti auxiliary*liftingr planea. thercbv adapting.;

`them to compensate Yfor the weight oi the, -rear portion oi the main lramc and ar`- the main planes 1l in the uplift oi" ti machine.

rThe front planes lil. arranged at the l'or' ward end o'l the main frame. are also preierably curved from trout to rear l'or a aimilar purpose and are connected together 'l r simultaneous movement by stam-mons il and also, if desired. by diagonal bracef,` l5. The framework connecting the iront planea 13 is pivotallv mounted at 1V on a suitable, supporting frame bar 1T and provided with an operating lever arm 1S irom which a connecting bar or rod 19 extends rearvmrd Vwhere it is pivotally connected to the upper end of a control le\ er ".20 fulcrniued at Qi. intermediate its ends and having! a hand wheel 2Q mounted and journaled on the lower end thereof as shownin Fig, '1. The lever 20 is held in a central o'r nent.; al poufi-` tion by any suitable means auch as opposing springs 22:3 and l-l which permit the lever to be vibrated either `forward or backward to operate the connecting rod if) ainI thereby i vary the angle ot inclination ol the iront planes 13 in order to ascend or descend.

Connected pivotally to the rear cud of each of the ride iucmbcral ol' the main frame is a rudder 73. the Same being imemted on vertical axil or hinge rod *Jo so a@ to Swim; horizontally. llach rudder is provided with a 'forward extension 2T which acts as a par tial ciander-lailauce i'or the main body oi therudder. 'lhc two rudders 25. which .af-ciao arranged in transvcrae alinemeut with each other. will. in practice., probabliY be courriel ed together so as to move in unison rfid. maintain their parallelism aud one '1r Roth of said rudders, will be provided with a tiller arm 28 from which a suitable flexible connection, (not shown) will extend to a drum or` pulley 29 on the hub ofthe controller wheel 22. for the-rudders and the front planes 13 will all be connected to-and be controlled by the wheel 22 so that by turning said wheel to the` right, the rudders will'be positioned at any angle adapting them to steer the ma- -chine to' the right and vice versa and by pressing the wheel 22 forward the planes 13 A- will be inclined to direct the machine upi length of the machine. A

ward, while, by moving the wheel 22 backward the planes 13 will be inclined so as to direct -the machine downward.

' '-Ihe aviators seat 30 is mounted so that it Vis free to move laterally with respect to the be mounted on suspending swing links 31 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 or it may be -mounted on cast-er Wheels or rollers 32 adapted to travel. on one or more track rails 33. The object in making the aviators seat movable is to automatically control the lateral balancing planes 34 which are preferably arranged above the uppermain plane 11 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and pivotally mounted on extensions 35 of the stanchions 5 30 36 which connect the upper and lower main planes 11.v From the forward edge of one of the planes 34, a flexible connection or l 'cable 37 extends around pulleys 38 to the corresponding ffront edge of the other plane 34, and a flexible connection or cable 39 eX- tends from the rear-part of one of the planesi 34 around suitable guide pulleys 40 to the other balancing plane 34. At an intermediate point the' connection or cable 39 is attached at the point 41 to the upper arm of a lever 42 fulcrumed at 43 and having a I. vjointed connection at 44 with the aviators seat. It will now be'apparent that as the machine starts to incline t0 one side or the other the relative movement between the machine frame and the aviators seat will effect a pull on one of the flexible connections. referred to, thereby effecting a corre- I. referred to,- the HeXible connection 39 or the connection 37 may be passed around guide The operating connections This seat may either pulleys and connected directly to the aviators seat 30 as indicated in F ig. 3.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new is:

1. In an aeroplane, the combination of a main plane, propelling devices carried thereby, a lateral dip controlling means, a laterally swinging aviators seat, and a` motion transmitting element movably supported by the main plane independently of the aviators seat, said motion transmitting element being connected'with said lateral dip controlling means -and having a shiftable connection with the aviators seat for receiving motion therefrom.

2. In an aeroplane, the combination of a main plane, propelling devices carried thereby, a. lateral dipcontrolling means, a laterally swinging aviators seat, and a lever pivotally supported upon the main plane independently of the aviators seat and con' nected with said dip controlling means, said lever having a shi'ftable engagement with the seat for receiving motion therefrom.

3. In an aeroplane, the combination of a main plane, propelling devices carried thereby, a 'lateral dip controlling means, a laterally swinging aviators seat flexibly supported. from the main plane,and a lever intermediately pivoted upon the main plane independently .of the aviators seat, said lever being connected at its upper end to the lateral dip controlling means and shiftably connected at its lower end with the aviators seat for receiving motive power therefrom.

4. In an aeroplane, the combination of a main plane, propelling devices carried thereby, a lateral dip control-ling means. an aviators seat. links or the, like Hexibly supporting said seat for lateral motion from the main plane, and a lever pivotally supported upon-the main plane independently of the aviators seat, said lever being connected. at its upper end with the lateral dip controlling means and shiftably connected at its lower end with the aviators seat to receive motion therefrom.

5. In an aeroplane, the combination of a main plane. propelling devices carried therebv. a lateral dip controlling` means. a laterallv. swino'ing aviator-s seat. and a lever pivotedgto the main plane independently of the avi-'atoNs seat, said lever being connected with said lateral dip controlling means and slidably and pivotally coupled to the aviators seat.

6. Inv an aeroplane. the combination of al ilnffi'iplfane. propelling` devices carried thereby, lateral balancing devices, cables leading therefrom, an aviators seat, links suspendy ing said aviators seat from the main plane for lateral swinging motion, and a normally upright lever intermediately piv'oted to the main piane at a point above the level of the aviator-s seat, said lever being connected at itsupper end topsaid cables and slidably and pivotally .connected atits lower end to the aviators seat.

upright lever intermediately pivoted to the main plane at a point above the level of the aviators seat, said lever being connected at its upper end to said dip controlling means and slidably and pivotally connected at its lower end to the aviators seat.

8. In an aeroplane, the combination of a main plane, propelling devices carried there- `by, a lateral dip controlling means, a lateral swinging aviators seat, downwardly diverging links suspending said aviatorssef'tt from the main plane, and a normally upright lever intermediately pivote'd to the main plane at a pointabove the level of the avi ators seat, said lever being connected at itsl upper end to said dip controlling moans and 4slidably and pivotally connected at its lower end to the aviators seat.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

REXFORD M. SMITH. Witnesses:

C. C. Hines, BENNETT S. JONES. 

